I have corn snake q's?

Question

can i use gravel as a subterrain

do i have to use a heat lamp

how many hide spots do i need

Answer 1

yes you could use sand, gravel, pebbles just make sure they aren't sharp rocks.

a heat lamp is recommended because they are ectothermic (cold-Blooded)

Snakes love the hiding spots and the dark just check the spots every now and then to see if there is mold. that can kill your snake.

mist regularly

Answer 2

get reptile gravel from a petstore, you should use a heat lamp or heat pad, and you need 1-2 hiding spots

Answer 3

I just saw your additional queries, so felt I should attempt to address them.

Feed depends on the size/age of the snake.  I didn't realize your new pet is a baby Cornsnake.  There are many opinions about feeding snakes.  Some collectors 'maintenance feed,' (for slow, normal growth) and others 'power feed'  (for rapid development, but this can cause problems).

Since it IS a baby; I would recommend that you keep the snake on aged newspaper, instead of any sort of substrate.  Newspaper ink can be harmful to your snake.  It is best to use newspaper which has been allowed to 'age' for a month, permitting the ink/fumes to dry/air completely, before being used in the tank.  For baby snakes; I use the carboard roll from toilet paper, or paper towels, for a hide.  It's cheap, and can be changed daily, to reduce bacterial contamination.  Simply crimp it, so one area is flat, and the rest stays rounded.  The snake will readily accept this as a hide.

Snakes in the wild have to hunt their prey, and are oportunistic feeders, often having to force down prey food which is not of optimun size for them.  They don't eat on a regular schedule, and spend a good deal of their time actively seeking prey.  They tend to 'gorge feed,' and then hide, while digesting.  Life in the wild is tough.  Often, while hunting prey - they become prey instead!

Young snakes in the wild will take insects as prey, also.  This often results in parasites.  Insects are rife with them.

A good rule of thumb, for your snake (of any size) is to offer it prey animals which are roughly the same size as its head is wide.  Collectors vary on this opinion widely.  Research is needed, and for you to decide what you think is best.  Younger reptiles need to feed more often than older reptiles.  Asking  your vet is an excellent place to start.

If you don't have an experienced reptile vet already - now is the time to find one!  Though snakes are relatively easy to keep as pets; they do fall prey to illness/mites, etc.  They are long lived, and grow for their entire lifespan.  The time to have a vet is before the snake becomes ill.  Most reptiles do not exhibit signs of illness until it is well progressed, so be observant, and 'know' your snake.  If you note ANY changes in its routine; voiding; hiding; activity level; or eating habits - consult your vet immediately.

It is a good practice to take any new pet to your vet for a screening routine overall health inspection (just as you would a puppy).  If the pet has a health issue at the time of purchase that your were not aware of; the vet diagnosis makes an exchange/refund very easy, before large amounts of money are spent on later vet bills (most pet shops allow 3 days for this), or before the animal actually dies.  The old adage "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is especially true when dealing with reptiles.

Starting out with a healthy animal can save hours of regret; time; and money later.  I strongly recommend that you have your pet inspected, and start a relationship with a herp. vet.

(Though I gave this advice to my own daughter when I presently her with a Ball Python three years ago - she did NOT follow it.  She recently had to call me, and I had to arrange for her to get the ailiing animal into immediate care.  The snake was in excellent health up to that point, and had proper care.  But - it IS a living thing, and DID fall ill.  The good news is that she knew what to watch for, and realized immediately that the snake was sick.  Her name is Pretzel, and she's again a healthy and happy Ball Python.)

There is also the issue of living or frozen food.  I am not an advocate of feeding live prey items.  1.) I think it's cruel to the prey, and 2.) the prey can injure the snake.  A rat can bite the eye out of your snake, or cause a serious tear which will require stitches (this complicates future feeds, as the stitches may tear, when it constricts, to eat the next time).  3.) The prey can bite the snake's mouth, making force feedings by a vet necessary until the injury heals.   Reptiles heal slowly.

Since you have a baby; it is very likely you can start it on frozen/dead feed.  You must be very careful to make sure the food offered is room temperature, and completely thawed.  The use of reptile tongs (they look like tweezers, but a foot long) will help.  Simply grasp the dead prey item by its tail, and gently shake the food in front of the snake's head.  If this doesn't get a response (or scares the snake [it draws away]), then wait a minute, and again gently tap the food item on the snake, several inches back from its head.  Eventually, it will get curious or hungry enough to strike.

Frozen prey is available at your area pet shops, and can also be obtained in large quantity (if they don't sell out first) at area reptile shows.  As you would with meat you intend to eat; take precautions to prevent freezer burn, if you buy in quantity, and plan to freeze it for long periods.  I have found with small feed items for baby snakes, such as new born mice, or rat pups, that encasing them in water preserves them much longer, when frozen.  You can either put them in a ziplock type baggie, and break them into individual servings for storage, or freeze them individually in an icecube tray (remove once frozen, and move to a freezer storage bag.  I wrap each in Saran wrap first.  Air is the enemy, so burp it well).

Again: be sure when you thaw food for feeding that it is brought up to room temperature, and the inside is completely thawed before feeding.  If you freeze your food items in water; thaw them in a bowl, and then drain the water once the ice mass melts.  Remove them to a paper towel for further thawing, and pat them dry, before offering them to your snake.

I speak from experience here.  My first snake (many, many years ago) was a Bermese Python who already had a wound when I purchased her from a pet shop (she was attacked by a parrot, and the gaping hole was left untreated.  I rescued her).  She refused frozen food, and tore her stitches many times (resulting in more vet costs than I care to share here), before I managed to switch her to frozen feed, and removed her "need to squeeze."

Though you offer dead prey; the snake WILL still grab and wrap, and constrict.  But - only for a second or two (it is a self-defense mechanism, and is MUCH more work for the snake, if they have to kill the prey), until they realize (snakes are NOT smart... and will do this EACH time) it's dead.  At that point, they stop, and begin to eat.

It also costs the snake much engery/effort, to take live prey, and kill it before eating, not to mention the risk of the prey injuring the snake before it dies.

Some of the snakes I presently own were obtained with the guarantee that they would NOT accept frozen/dead food.  I do NOT feed live prey here.  All eat frozen/dead food items.  I have yet to encounter the snake which couldn't be converted (unless it was an Emerald tree boa, and they feed primarily on birds).

Again - do your research, and talk to your vet.  It is best to not get too confused by TOO much varying advice.  Being informed is half the battle towards a healthy reptile, and an easy maintenance schedule for you, for feeding and cleaning.

Again... feeding is easy.  The size of the head pretty much tells you the size of the prey you need to offer.  It's the amount, and how often, you need to be concerned with.  Your vet will give you excellent advice on maintaining your snake's needs, and pacing its growth as it ages.

As for housing?  That again, is just an opinion.  Since I feel it is mandatory to observe my reptiles, and 'know' them; I limit their space, to their size.  I keep hatchlings (depending on species) in the smallest tank I can, until I know their habits.  I keep my newly hatched Cornsnakes individually in 2 1/2 gal. aquariums, on aged newspaper, with toilet paper roll hides.

As they grow, I move them into 5 gal. aquariums.  And from there, usually, into 10 gal. tanks with substrate.  From there, into 20 gal. long tanks.  My breeding pairs share a 30 gal. long during breeding.  The nice thing about this progression is... I know they need larger tanks, eventually, but it's easy to sit the smaller tanks inside of the larger, until they need it.  So, before they need the space - I have already provided it, and worked the aquarium/terrarium into MY living space.

You may prefer to look into tanks designed for snakes (which will not hold water).  These are not as tall, and offer more floor space, where the snake actually resides.  The draw back to this arrangement is heating from above (don't cook your snake!).  Many of my larger snakes are in this sort of tank.  There are many options for housing your pet.  Do some research.

You CAN put the hatchling in a large tank and allow it to 'grow into the space,' but it makes observation more difficult.  Snakes like to hide.  Again - do what works for you AND the snake.  Consult your vet, and value their opinion.

I hope this has been helpful.

Answer 4

It is best not to use something that the snake can ingest accidentally  like gravel or small wood chips. I would go to home depot and get some Astroturf  it is easy to clean and cheep too.  A heat lamp is needed if the area is not warm enough, also good to have at night when rooms get colder. I  would have 2 -3 hiding spots.

Answer 5

Yes, you can use gravel, it also makes it easier to clean up the p**p.  Buy the gravel at a pet shop, don't get it from the yard...   Yes, you'll need a heat lamp.  Snakes are cold blooded and can't generate their own heat.  If the area where you keep the snake is really hot, you can turn the light off though.  At least one hiding spot should be enough, there are special items made for animals and reptiles to hide in.  Buy on big enough for the snake to grow.  Make sure you have something for the snake to rub against to help shed their skin,  A rough rock, (large enough to wrap around) or a rough tree branch - apricot is a good tree to use.